Midnight Confessions
by Catherine Pugh
Summary: Peggy and Ted confront a difficult issue.
1. Chapter 1

The SC&P floors were abandoned for the night, except for one office lit with two desk lamps. Loud music blared from the record player on the shelf, as Ted Chaough and Peggy Olson worked diligently on the Ocean Spray campaign in his office.

Ted was lying on the sofa, going through a folder of ideas the team had worked through earlier in the morning. Although they faced a deadline, the two laughed and joked and sang along to the music.

Peggy sat at Ted's desk, thinking of some slogans for the new cocktail drink, tapping her pen to her mouth and occasionally typing up an idea. She mixed some cranberry and vodka together and took a sip.

"Not bad," she exclaimed, "How about…'Pucker up!'" She mixed a glass for Ted and brought it over to him. He sat up and took a small sip.

"It's a start. I see where you're going with that." He looked up at her with a glint of mischief in his eyes as Peggy found herself blushing. She walked back to the desk and kept typing.

Every so often, Ted would shout out another slogan idea, and she'd jot it down with some notes for Stan's art direction. After he had his second vodka drink in him, he started getting increasingly flirty with Peggy, who got flirty back and returned his winks from across the room.

They continued working this way for some time, when the phone on Ted's desk rang. Ted had run out to the bathroom, and without thinking, Peggy went on autopilot and answered the phone.

The music was still blaring.

"Hello, Ted Chaough's office," said Peggy, as professionally as possible for being tipsy. She hoped she hadn't slurred.

"Oh," Peggy heard at the other end. Her heart sank as she jumped up to turn down the record player, but Nan had already heard it. "Hello, Miss Olson. This is Mrs. Chaough," she said in a clipped tone. "I'd like to speak to my husband."

"Hello," said Peggy, as chipperly as she could muster. "He is indisposed at the moment. Should I take a message?"

Ted barged into the office yelling. "Peggy, dear!" he shouted loud enough for Nan to hear on the receiver, as he triumphantly held up a plate of cookies that Peggy had left in the kitchenette. Peggy clamped her hand over the phone, mouthing "NAN!" but it was too late. Ted realized what was going on and put down the cookies. Peggy handed him the receiver, just as Nan hung up on him.

"Shit," Ted said. "Why did you answer my phone?"

"I'm sorry," Peggy responded. "I went on autopilot. I didn't mean to cause any problems."

"DAMMIT." Ted slumped against his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed again. Nan answered after the sixth ring.

"Nan! Peggy just gave me your message," Ted said, attempting to sound bright and cheerful.

"It's ten o' clock at night," replied Nan sharply, loud enough for Peggy to hear her. "Sounds like I've interrupted your party with Miss Olson. You promised you'd be home for dinner. Do you even remember you have a family?"

The look of dismay on Ted's face made Peggy feel worse.

"Nan, I told you, we're working on Ocean Spray…" Ted continued lamely. He frantically waved his hand at Peggy to leave his office. She got the hint and quietly shut the door behind him for some privacy.

She walked down the hall, her heart pounding. Afraid Ted would blame her for this, she packed up her things for the night and decided to take her work to their usual diner spot up the street. She could hear Ted arguing with Nan on the phone, which depressed her even more. No sense in fueling the fire.

The diner was nice and empty. Only three people in the whole place. The waitress recognized Peggy as a regular and the two ladies struck up some pleasant small talk. Peggy ordered herself a piece of pie and a cup of coffee. She opened up her folders and hummed the tune she'd heard on the record earlier.

After about a half hour had passed, someone stood by her table causing her to look up, expecting the waitress to offer her another carafe of coffee. Instead, her eyes met with Ted's sad expression, and she felt dread in the pit of her stomach.

"I figured you'd be here," he said.

_Shit_, she thought to herself. _He's going to be mad at me._

"I'm so sorry, Ted," Peggy began, pouring him a cup of coffee from her carafe. She handed it to him. His hand shook as he took the cup from her. "It was an accident…."

He shook his head and slipped next to her in the booth, as she moved her papers to the other side. He sipped his coffee in silence. Her arm and thigh touched him, feeling his body through the turtleneck and corduroy trousers.

"It was a mistake," she said, apologetically.

"I know. It's not your fault."

"She's angry with you because you're always in the office," Peggy said, offering him the remaining half of her pie. He took a forkful and ate it, looking straight ahead as she continued. "I know you care about the work, but don't you ever miss your family? All I have is my cat to come home to at night."

"My boys mean the world to me," he said, after a minute. "But things between Nan and me are difficult right now. God knows we're trying, Peggy, but…I don't know." He hung his head. "I love my work. Maybe a little too much."

Peggy nodded as she fiddled in her purse for her wallet. Ted waved his hand and absently pulled out a $10 bill. "I got this. I ate half your pie, anyway."

"It's one thing to love your job, it's another to use it as a crutch or an escape hatch," Peggy replied, finishing up the dregs of her coffee. Ted's shoulders slumped as he put his head in his hands. Peggy nudged his arm. "Hey. Maybe you should go home."

"Peggy…" he began, his voice muffled behind his hands.

"Mmm?"

"Goddammit, you're right."

She took her hat from the hook above the booth and placed it on her head neatly. Ted slipped the $10 under the pie plate, and they waved goodnight to the waitress.

The waitress was pleasantly surprised to find such a generous tip from her favorite customers.

Ted hailed a cab and insisted upon riding with her to make sure she got home safely. Peggy didn't decline this offer. She was ashamed at first to explain that she was currently living in the West 80s, but then decided she would rather have a safe ride home, as opposed to chancing the subway. Ted was surprised when she gave the address to the driver.

"You live there? Why?" he asked. "I thought you were looking at places over in Yorkville."

"It's a long story, but Abe…" she began. "Oh, never mind. I'm stuck until I can sell that hellhole."

In the ride uptown, she explained the situation further, punctuating her story with incredulous laughter. By the time they got there, both of them were laughing.

"A junkie crapped in your hall? TWICE? Jesus, Peggy," he chuckled. Peggy shook her head incredulously.

"Princess Pooper is gone. Once Abe left, I kicked out the degenerates and locked the building down. I don't need the tenants if this is what I have to put up with. I'm stuck living there with the cat for the time being."

"I still can't get over the rat story." Ted was laughing so hard he was actually slapping his knees. "You need to write a book someday."

Peggy giggled. "Well, at least the rat problem's been dealt with. Cheaper than an exterminator."

They pulled up to her apartment. Ted looked at the old brownstone and shook his head incredulously.

"It's a lovely old building with a lot of potential. Too bad it's in the middle of a war zone."

"Maybe one day it'll be a nicer neighborhood," she laughed. "Maybe."

Peggy smiled at Ted and said she hadn't had such an enjoyable ride home before.

"The fare's going to be a fortune, Ted."

"It's worth it knowing you got home okay," he replied. "Besides, I consider your stories a whole evening of entertainment." He took her hand and kissed it gallantly. "I'll tell you about Classic Teddy Chaough Phone Pranks tomorrow."

Peggy squeezed his hand.

"Goodnight, dear," he said, as she shut the door. The cab lingered a minute to make sure she got in safely.

_Jesus,_ Ted thought to himself. _She's got to get the hell out of here. No wonder she never goes home._

-o0o-

The next evening around 8 PM, Ted and Peggy found themselves back in his office, working on the same project. This time, Peggy sat on Ted's sofa, while Ted worked at the desk. Both of them were shouting ideas back and forth, completely absorbed in their work. Ted had a pile of new comp albums from one of the record companies. They were currently listening to a song by Eddie Floyd about airplanes. Ted liked it a lot.

"This song is great," Peggy said, tapping her pencil to the song. "It reminds me of your plane."

"There's a lot of exciting new music coming out," Ted said, checking off something in his folder. "I like what the kids are listening to. My oldest son is always telling me about new music. The days of Perry Como are long over, thank god. I've never understood people who listen to the same old stuff all the time."

"You mean like Don? Perry Como is one of his favorites." Peggy quipped, making a snore gesture. The pair laughed. A head popped in the door. It was Pete Campbell.

"I thought I heard laughter and music down here," he said, as Peggy and Ted continued their fit of giggles. "You two are having way too much fun for my taste."

Ted and Peggy smiled at each other. Ted winked at her. "Oh, loosen up, Campbell." He threw a paper airplane in his direction. "You joining us tonight?"

"No," Pete replied, smiling at them enigmatically. "I'm…I've got to get home."

Ted's face fell a little. He looked at his watch. Already an hour past dinner. Nan hadn't called. He tried calling home, but there was no answer. She'd probably taken the boys over to the Wilsons' to play bridge with Roy and Barb. Ted walked down the hall to the kitchenette to brew a new pot of coffee. Peggy's always tasted like socks. _Her one vice_, he thought.

-o0o-

"We're just about finished," Peggy said cheerfully, taking a swig of cranberry and vodka. The clock on the wall read nearly 11 pm. "Good thing. I think the meeting will go great tomorrow. Make sure you wear your power tie for good luck," she giggled.

"Naturally."

"You okay?" Peggy asked, looking up at Ted. He was lying on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, pensively eating a cookie.

"This is good," he said, with his mouth full, trying to think of something else to say.

"Anita baked them. Snickerdoodles, they're called."

"I haven't had homemade cookies in years," he mumbled. Ted looked up at Peggy at the desk. After a few moments, she felt his eyes upon her and blushed. She cleared her throat and attempted to look busy.

"How are you doing over there, Ted?"

"I'm having a hard time concentrating. I HATE that."

"Maybe you should go home."

"I don't think so. Not after last night. We…had another argument."

She chewed on her pen a second and all of a sudden noticed the overnight suitcase next to Ted's sofa. She'd seen it before at CGC a few times and knew what it meant. Ted noticed that she was looking at the bag and his face got red.

"Well, what are you going to do?" she asked. "Sleep on your fainting couch?"

Ted flopped his head back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling some more.

Peggy stopped typing and walked over to sit on the sofa with Ted. He swung his legs over the side and sat up to make room for her. He put his head in his hands and breathed in and out deeply. She was afraid for a minute he would start hyperventilating. Finally he calmed down and leaned back on the sofa.

"It's been like this for a long time, Peggy."

"I'm sorry if I've caused any trouble for you," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "I really had no idea what I was doing last night. Too many of these," she added, waggling her glass.

"No, no - it's nothing to do with you, other than maybe I talk about you too much at home." He paused a beat and finished the cookie. "We've been having trouble for…well, since the miscarriage."

"Oh," Peggy said, putting her hand to her mouth. "Ted."

"It happened a year or so before you came on board," Ted continued, staring ahead. "Nan wanted to try for a girl. But it didn't happen for us, she lost it about 3 months in, and had to have a hysterectomy after the incident. Nan hasn't recovered since, and she's been extremely depressed. It's been hard on all of us."

Peggy felt a lump growing in her throat. Ted had never admitted this to anyone before.

"She used to be really outgoing and fun, and now she's just a shell of her old personality. Lies in bed all day watching soap operas and reading. She's nasty to me. I've been trying to ignore it, but it hurts. The boys help around the house, but that's not right, either."

Peggy shifted her legs so her knees were tucked under her chin. She hugged them tight against her body as Ted continued.

"I think Nan partly blames me for what happened with the baby. I felt shut out, and since it happened, I don't feel like home is home anymore. She says she wants me home, but when I'm there all she does is mope around the house and maybe play cards with the neighbors once a month. I wanted to focus on something positive. We tried patching things up with the retreat back in December, but after the merger happened, things got worse. She bitches about me to the neighbors. And as usual, I've been going overboard with work. She blames me for all of her problems, but it's a problem with both of us. I don't have the right answer to any of this."

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice breaking. "I didn't know it was that bad. I'm so sorry."

"I've been unfair to you, Peggy. My feelings for you are no joke. But you understand my situation now. I don't know what to do. I don't know what it would do to my sons if I left their mother out of the blue."

He looked over and realized Peggy was shaking. She held her hand out to him and shifted her position again. He put his hand on top of hers, closing his fingers around it. Peggy didn't look Ted in the eye, but her fingers closed tighter around his.

"Did I upset you?" Ted asked, worried. "I don't mean to dump all my sorrows on you. You have enough to worry about."

"No, it's not that. I was just thinking about something…I lost a baby, too, Ted. Not the same way you did. But he's gone."

Ted looked at her tenderly as he put his arm around her and pulled her against him.

"Oh, Peggy. …Was it Abe's?" he asked gently. Peggy shook her head no and swallowed.

"No. Way before him. I was very young. Right when I started working for the old Sterling Cooper."

Ted listened quietly as she recounted her tragic story to him. For the first time, she named the father out loud, expecting Ted to freak out. Instead, he silently stroked her back as she finished explaining.

"It's good to tell someone after all these years," she finally said. "He's seven now. I try not to think about him, but sometimes I wonder. I hope I've given him a happy life."

Ted tightened his embrace around her as she wrapped her arms around him in return. They sat this way in silence for a few minutes, taking comfort in each other's arms.

"A little boy. I'm so sorry this happened to you. So that explains the situation, then. With Pete Campbell," he said. Peggy nodded. She chuckled weakly as she released herself from his arms. She got up to pour another small glass of whisky.

"Oh heavens, don't ever feel jealous of him. I've made peace with what happened. It's something I've put behind me, and I think he has, too."

Ted nodded and put his hand to his brow.

"Ted, I've never felt anything for anyone…like I have for you," she confessed. She sat back down next to him and put her hand to his cheek.

Ted closed his eyes at her touch.

"Part of me wants us to happen, but it's not right, Ted. All I want for you is to be happy, too." said Peggy, running her thumb over his cheek back and forth.

"That's what you don't understand, Peggy. YOU. You make me happy," said Ted, brushing the hair out of Peggy's face. "Every day that passes, every late night work session, those agonizing meetings, all I can think of is how much I look forward to being here with you. I feel like…myself again when I'm around you. And you're so beautiful."

Her eyes welled with tears as the lump in her throat returned. She tried to swallow.

"Peggy," he whispered urgently. He leaned in slowly to kiss her. She closed her eyes and felt the pressure of his lips on hers, nudging them, begging her to deepen the kiss. His breath tasted of Anita's cookies. She kissed him back with equal passion. They collapsed against the back of the sofa together, arms around each other. Ted's hands began to travel down her chest, causing them both to moan with desire. She drew back and looked at his face.

"Sweetheart…I love you," he murmured into her ear, trailing kisses down her neck. He loosened his tie.

"I love you, Ted." Suddenly, the weight of the situation hit her and she drew back gently, before she let herself really submit to him. "But…please don't use me as your excuse to end your marriage."

Ted hung his head. Peggy was right. She continued, stroking his arm as she talked.

"This isn't the way. Talk about clichés. I've seen this story before, too. And it almost always ends badly. Man leaves wife for protégée. Ask how Megan Draper's doing these days. Guaranteed Don's been stepping out on her for some time. I saw it happen with his first wife. Remember, I was his secretary."

"Peggy…"

"And it happened with Jane Sterling, too. That was a horrible mess."

Ted got up from the sofa and began to pace. "I'm not like Don or Roger," he snapped angrily. "I'm nothing like them."

"Exactly," Peggy said. "And I wouldn't want you to be like them. They're pigs."

"You're right," he said finally.

"Nothing in life is simple," she replied. "Except that we know we love each other. I think I can be content just having that that as our special secret."

"Until you find someone else! I don't know if I can keep my love for you secret." Ted replied, wiping his eye, his back to Peggy. "It feels like everyone knows now. I'll try. But I want you to have happiness, too, Peggy. Don't let me drag you away from any opportunities for it."

"What's that movie with Bette Davis?" she continued, standing up and walking over to him. "Don't ask for the moon, when we have the stars?"

Ted whirled around and looked at her incredulously.

"You amaze me, Peggy Olson." He took her hand and kissed it softly.

"We'll always have this. Our work together," she said. She raised their clasped hands and placed them against her heart. "But you need to go home to Nan tonight, Ted. Do your best to work this out. Please." He nodded in resigned agreement.

"Peggy, there's no reason for you to feel guilty."

"Catholic upbringing."

She gathered up her folders and, without further word, walked back to her office. She didn't emerge until she heard Ted lock the main office door and leave for the evening. When she was sure he had gone, she turned on the radio to distract herself from the churning in her stomach.

_There's a little gold ring you wear on your hand, it makes me understand_

_There's another before me, you'll never be mine, I'm wasting my time_

_In my midnight confession when I'm telling the world that I love you…_

"Fuck you, radio." she snapped, switching the radio off in anger. Peggy lay on her sofa and instead let herself have the good cry in silence she desperately needed.


	2. Chapter 2

Things in the Chaough household had escalated into outright hostility, after Nan pointed out over her fourth gin and tonic that Ted had been spending more time with his "young copywriter."

_She has a name, Nan. It's Peggy._

_I have a name, too, Ted. Do you ever remind her? Or are you too busy gazing at her while you idiots write meaningful jingles for diarrhea medicines? Then trot me out once a year to the CLIOS just to remind yourself why you have on that ring?_

Truth be told, Nan never had to work a day in her life. Before he married her, people joked that Nan was a "hothouse flower," and he assured her that she would have every need met as long as they were together. The folly of youth. When they were younger, Nan was charming; she grounded him. They had great conversations. Their marriage was solid. But underneath it all, she always resented that he didn't give her undivided attention. After the miscarriage, it escalated. She became needier and more resentful of his social life, and yet he felt less welcome at home.

The resentment now appeared in the form of an easily-blamed person, and her name was Peggy Olson. And now, Nan was throwing the boys in his face as her trump card to make him feel guilty, and that stung the most.

Ted once adored his wife, and the memories of happier times often floated past him, reminding him of how good things once were between them. The births of his sons; the happy vacations; the long talks they once had.

Now they were lucky if Nan even bothered to get out of bed in the morning. For all her talk about "raising the boys alone," they were doing a pretty good job of it themselves. Excited talk here and there about "how Mom let them have cereal and ice cream for dinner all the time," but Ted and the boys both knew Nan was having serious trouble. When Ted suggested she see a counselor or they pay a visit to Reverend Davis together, she responded in anger. Ted had been slowly giving up for some time now. Peggy's lighthearted nature was becoming more and more of his light.

The snapping point came when Peggy called Ted at home one weekend regarding a work matter that really couldn't wait, and Ted caught Nan being nasty with her on the phone. When Nan insinuated the worst, they ended up getting into a bigger argument. He denied up and down that he and Peggy had ever played the fool, but Nan accused his heart of straying. Maybe she was right. But that was not Peggy's fault.

That night, Ted slept in the den. He had just settled in on the pull-out sofa when he heard a soft step in the room.

"Daddy?"

Ted's six-year-old son had come downstairs in the middle of the night, clutching his little bear, upset that he couldn't sleep because of the yelling. Overwhelmed with guilt, Ted read him three whole books before the kid fell back asleep leaning against him, clutching his side like a baby possum.

_What the hell happened to us? _he wondered, looking up at the cheerful Chaough family portrait over the fireplace. Mocking him. _If only Nan had been happy with what we had. If only she hadn't insisted we try for a girl. None of this would have happened. _

He was fooling himself. Making excuses. Nature had been cruel to them. Maybe fate would have stepped in, no matter what. He didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground anymore.

Ted's little boy snorted in his sleep, his tow head resting upon his chest, snapping Ted back to the present. Tears sprang to Ted's eyes as he tried to fall asleep himself, to the sound of the child's breathing.

_I'm so sorry, _he thought, wiping a tear with his free hand, stroking the little boy's hair with the other, hoping somehow the child would understand through sleep osmosis and forgive them one day.

-o0o-

After that summer morning in the office when things came to a head between Peggy and him, neither could bring themselves to deal with the situation head-on. To make up for the utter misery and guilt brought upon him in his home life, Ted overcompensated with infectious cheeriness at work. It was easier to forget how sad he was when he surrounded himself with happy people. He and Peggy fed off each other's energies to new levels of obnoxiousness.

It was driving others crazy, listening to them constantly banter back and forth. Ginsberg and Stan would secretly make fun of them behind their backs, calling them "Nichols and May" and, maybe more accurately, "Martin and Lewis."

But Ted was blissfully unaware of the storm brewing at SC&P. The only thing he cared about at the moment was a young woman walking beside him in the Ocean Spray plant, wearing a lovely cranberry-red scooter dress with that little criss-cross bow splayed across her front.

This was their second visit to the Ocean Spray headquarters. They'd flown up without Peter this time, because at the last minute he'd had a crisis with his mother's masseuse (or some matter he wouldn't discuss beyond mutterings about someone named "Manolo."). The flight to New England was silent between Peggy and Ted, but he enjoyed looking over occasionally, watching Peggy lovingly taking in the "majesty of God's green earth." She never tired of these flights. After years of being trapped in two of the five boroughs, Ted gave her a whole new outlook on life.

The gentleman who took them around Ocean Spray had a very thick Massachusetts accent and a red shirt. When he was in the men's room briefly, Ted gave him the nickname of "Rose Kennedy" and the two of them snickered conspiratorially. The rest of the tour was a lot of fun. They got to visit a bog, and were each given a massive gift basket stuffed with canned cranberry sauce and various juices.

Afterward, Ted and Peggy went for lobster rolls at a seafood restaurant. Ted was too tired to fly back to New York that night, so they split a bottle of wine with their dinner and booked rooms overnight in the charming inn on the beach. Ted felt good to be able to finally relax in the unfamiliar new England coastal town, to really be himself: uninhibited, the old Teddy Chaough with the great sense of humor and penchant for pranks.

As they walked along the pier back to the bed and breakfast, doing terrible impressions of the gentleman at the cranberry plant, Ted suddenly stumbled on a plank and Peggy steadied him.

"I love how you always have my back," Ted said to her, coming a little closer to Peggy than he anticipated. She put her arms squarely around his shoulders and smiled back at him with her beautiful, bright eyes.

"Of course," she replied lightly.

Ted suddenly felt that strong urge again, to dip down and take her into his arms and really kiss that woman the way she deserved. Their hearts began to pound in anticipation. Instead, they walked over to the swing on the porch facing the ocean and sat down.

Ted draped his arm on the back of the swing behind Peggy, and she instinctively leaned against him, feeling his solid frame underneath the smooth cotton of his dress shirt. He'd rolled up his sleeves. They sat this way for a little while, transfixed by the sound of the ocean. Finally, Ted spoke.

"I've never been more glad that Pete's mother is senile than I am tonight."

"I was thinking the same thing," she replied.

Ted's body stiffened as he shifted position. Peggy sat upright and looked at him.

"Were you? I was hoping so," Ted said, staring ahead. "I'm sorry things have been so strange between us, Peggy."

She felt her face get hot with a blush. He was going for that sore spot, the one that made her stomach lurch. He bunched his fingers up in a fist and pounded it on the arm of the swing.

Ted hadn't mentioned Nan in weeks, not since their first excursion up there. She knew they were constantly fighting; Ted would disappear out of nowhere if he felt a sudden flash of guilt. She had no idea what had been going on with them.

She had never been particularly bothered by others' infidelities after all those years at SCDP, but somehow, it was different with Ted. She felt something genuine for him. Something stronger than she ever had with Abe, or any of the others. Ted loved her for her mind, celebrated her beauty, and fought for her like no one else. With him, she felt…loved. Appreciated. Respected.

They'd never kissed since that night in his old office, but they had become increasingly affectionate and comfortable with each other. It was easy to do so in public if they had nothing to hide, right?

Well, it was if they were six hours away from everyone. Home would be another story. Ted took Peggy's hand.

"Peggy, none of this is easy for me, but…do you still feel the same…as you did?' Ted trailed off, a lump in his throat suddenly breaking his voice. "There is so much I want to say to you."

Peggy turned toward him, tears streaming down her face.

"Nothing's changed, Ted."

Neither was sure who closed the gap first, but they soon clung to each other in the night breeze, delighting in each other's kisses.

"Stay with me tonight," she whispered in his ear.

He responded by nuzzling her neck, thrilling to the quickening pulse he felt against his cheek and feeling her body heat rising.

"Peggy," he replied.

They went to her bedroom, the one facing the ocean, and sat down together on the bed. For an agonizing minute or so, they had no idea what to do. Finally, Ted broke the silence by shyly putting his hand on her knee. Peggy covered his hand with hers, remembering the night she and Stan had their talk in the office. She knew she had to calm things down before they got anywhere.

"I know this is going to sound old-fashioned, considering where we are and how we feel at the moment," she began, "but let's…we don't have to leap into anything."

Ted breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad you said that. I feel the same, although for different reasons, of course."

"That doesn't mean you can't kiss me, Ted." She draped her arms around his neck as their lips met, softly at first, then a bit more heatedly. As her breathing escalated, Ted allowed himself to let his hands roam her body. They laid together on the bed, sinking in the plushness of the feather mattress, kissing one another madly.

When his lips reluctantly freed themselves from hers, he drank in her flushed beauty in the moonlight.

"We should go to sleep, sweetheart. Long flight back tomorrow."

He pulled her against him as they snuggled deep in the covers, intertwined but not joined.

They slept soundly, until the morning light woke Ted. Peggy had shifted in her sleep, her slip just barely covering her breasts. The lovely vision would stay with him forever.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello," Peggy said, stepping into Ted's office late one night, a few weeks later. "You're here late. I saw the light was still on. You should go home – it's nearly 8:30."

Ted was sitting at his desk, buried in Stan's art boards for various accounts. A few adjustments had to be made for one of the TV spots, so he was taking china marker liberally to one of them. A half-eaten sandwich sat on the corner of the desk. Peggy picked up the plate and put it in the trash.

"I have to get this finished tonight, the meeting is at 9AM tomorrow," Ted sighed. "Nan's not happy, but I'm getting really tired of this. I've always had crazy hours, I don't get why all of a sudden she's so keen on me getting home at specific times. Half the time the boys are eating Chex for dinner."

Peggy shifted on her feet a little. She knew perfectly well why Nan had stepped up her militant stance on Ted's schedule. She wanted to keep an eye on him. That must have meant that Ted either said something by accident or said something on purpose. She felt that familiar twist in her stomach, and decided not to say anything.

The two had quietly continued their romance on the downlow – although Ted was feeling concern that people were onto them. It was hard not to show how much love he felt for Peggy – she made him laugh, she told him stories about her family, and she cared about his well-being. The last time Nan made him laugh – truly laugh - was…he couldn't remember anymore.

"Come on, Ted. You have this. You need to get home."

"I don't want to go home."

"You keep saying that, but you won't explain why. Please don't say it's because I'm here. Because I'm beat, and I need to wind down for the day."

Ted looked at her, unable to say what was really on his mind. _Because home is hostile. Because I hate seeing my kids flocking around my wife while she's flopped on a bed in a Valium stupor. Because I hate that my entire house is salmon pink. Because she's a chronic shopper when she isn't sleeping. Because my work is my home. Because I know I'm alive here._

Ted walked over to Peggy and put his arms around her. He kissed her softly on the temple and dragged his lips to her ear. He felt her respond by coming closer to his body, sighing in pleasure.

"Peggy…I wish things were different," he whispered.

Peggy pulled away and placed her hands on his chest.

"It's not my call. I'm going home."

"Can I give you a ride, at least?"

Peggy paused a moment to think it over. As much as she wanted him to take her home, so she could avoid the subway, she knew that the later Ted stayed away from home, the more Nan would hold over him and crank up the guilt.

"Thank you, but I'll take a cab. I'll be fine."

"I just want you to get home safely."

Peggy smiled and kissed him gently on the cheek before walking out of the office. She knew that if she stopped, it could lead places she didn't want to go that night. Best to just leave Ted to his own devices.

-o0o-

Ted quietly walked into his bedroom. The boys had gone to bed already, Nan was flopped on the bed face down, above the covers again. Her book had fallen to the floor. She must have taken another Valium.

"Nan? Nan?" he gently shook her to move her over. She responded with a snort.

"Ted? What time is it?"

"Eleven."

"Mmmmph." She rolled over on her side as he climbed in with her. Ted lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, listening to her snoring, wishing he had just stayed. He surveyed the dark room. A cereal bowl was left on the floor, his other son's Mad Magazine next to it. The bedroom had been the cleanest room in the house, but the clutter of the rest of the home was beginning to filter in there, as well. And as usual, Ted would be spending his weekend with the boys, cleaning, while Nan took some more pills and told him how disappointed she was that he was still never home. It would be easier if Nan were nasty, or shrewish, or mean, but her admonishments were always sweet-sounding and understanding. It made it so hard to justify his growing hatred of his homelife.

Before everything went wrong, he loved coming home, seeing his kids, living the suburban dream.

Ted missed his wife.

As he drifted slowly to sleep, the last thing that drifted through his mind was Peggy, and how much life she brought out in him. Her warm body pressed against his, her lips.

-o0o-

Peggy sat on the sofa with the cat, smoking a cigarette, watching an old movie on WPIX. Life without Abe had settled into a comfortable routine, and she was pleasantly surprised at how much she enjoyed the peace and quiet, without his constant typewriter clacking.

The phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Liz Taylor, please. This is Richard Burton," said a voice in a comically awful impression.

"Hey, Stan. What's going on?"

"Just wondering why you're not working tonight. I'm in the office finishing up this Fleischmann's storyboard. Chaough came by and dumped it on my desk when I was out getting dinner. I figured you'd be burning the midnight oil. Or…Chaough's midnight oil..."

"Oh, shut up." Peggy took a drag of her cigarette.

Stan laughed. "Don't you try to get out of this one, Liz Taylor. I can see what's going on with you two."

"You don't see anything."

"Mmmhmm. Anyway, I do see you're home. How's the kitty? Is he getting the rats?"

"Actually, I haven't seen a single rat since you got him for me. Thanks. That really was a smart solution."

"See? I'm not that useless. You give him a name yet?"

"I called him Stan, so I could feel more at home bossing him around."

Stan laughed some more. Peggy felt herself relaxing as Stan entertained her with gossip.

After about 20 minutes, Stan blithely announced that he had to "take a leak," and decided to let Peggy go to sleep. She didn't even bother to walk to her bed. She just kicked off her pumps and curled on the sofa. The cat climbed on the back of the couch and batted at her hair.

She had just drifted off when the phone rang again.

Peggy picked up the receiver and spoke into it drowsily. "I don't KNOW how much it costs to rent a gorilla suit," she said sleepily, in response to one of Stan's earlier musings.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, Ted."

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" he asked, chuckling.

"No…sort of…what's wrong?" she replied, yawning as she sat up. The cat jumped off the back of the sofa and took over the warm spot where she'd been sleeping. "Don't tell me you're still in the office."

"No, but I can't sleep."

"Where are you?"

"In the den, on my sofa. Everyone's asleep."

"Oh. Did you need something?"

"I just…I don't know. I wanted to hear your voice."

Peggy's heart began to pound. His tone had taken on the timbre of what Stan called "sexy voice," and her mind began to wander toward very…sordid…places.

"I'm talking," she replied. She told him an amusing anecdote about Ginsberg.

"Peggy?" he replied, finally, after a brief silence.

"Mmm?"

"Let's go out to dinner and a movie tomorrow night. _Rosemary's Baby_. It's creepy. I want to spend some time with you outside of the office."

"Alright."


End file.
